


The Sound of Bells

by Crowgirl



Series: On the Strength of the Evidence [11]
Category: Grantchester (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff and Humor, Humor, M/M, Not Beta Read, Shameless, Silly, Triple Drabble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-22
Updated: 2016-11-22
Packaged: 2018-09-01 14:19:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8627866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crowgirl/pseuds/Crowgirl
Summary: ‘What the hell does that mean?’





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kivrin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kivrin/gifts), [Burning_Up_A_Sun](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burning_Up_A_Sun/gifts), [Mary_Jane221B](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mary_Jane221B/gifts), [elizajane](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elizajane/gifts).



Ben stops what he’s doing, much to Leonard’s dismay, and props himself on his elbows, the sheet and blankets making a tent around shoulders. His hair is a ruffled cloud around his head and his cheeks are bright. ‘Something to share with the class?’

Leonard shakes his head, squeezing his eyes shut. Why oh _why_ will his mind insist on wandering like this; it’s ridiculous. Of all the times for a random word to pop into his head-- 

‘Oh, come on, Len.’ Ben drops his head, nosing along Leonard’s collarbone and leaving a slow, sucking kiss below his left ear and Leonard lets out an unsteady breath, immediately forgiving the use of the nickname. ‘You can’t just _laugh_ at me and then refuse to tell me why.’

‘I’m not...not laughing at _you.’_

Ben pulls back, raising an eyebrow. ‘I beg to differ.’

Leonard rolls his eyes and tries to tug Ben back down but he remains firm, his palms planted against the mattress on either side of Leonard’s shoulders.

‘It’s -- it’s nothing. It’s silly. I promise.’ Leonard runs his hands down Ben’s back, his fingertips following the hollow of his spine.

‘If it’s silly, then tell me.’ Ben smiles at him. ‘I could use a laugh.’

‘Oh--’ Leonard digs his fingertips in above Ben’s hips, momentarily frustrated at his unwillingness to be distracted. ‘It was just a word.’

‘A word? What word?’

Leonard sighs. ‘Plangency.’

Ben blinks at him. ‘What? What the hell does that mean?’

‘It indicates something with the quality of being plangent,’ Leonard says primly and then whoops out breath as Ben tickles him viciously over the ribs. ‘Cheat!’ He makes a grab for Ben’s shoulders and Ben rolls away, laughing; Leonard follows, scrabbling for Ben’s underarms and feeling a distinct sense of achievement when Ben’s laughter shoots up into a squeak. He ends up half on top of Ben, propped up on one elbow, one of his thighs between Ben’s, naked and laughing and, for the moment at least, more content to be himself than he can remember ever having been.

**Author's Note:**

> The result of this tweet and the resulting conversation...
>
>> [@sarahthe1001](https://twitter.com/sarahthe1001) [@Burning_Up_](https://twitter.com/Burning_Up_) [@MaryJane221b](https://twitter.com/MaryJane221b) [@feministlib](https://twitter.com/feministlib) If I ever use "plangency" in a fic, please shoot me. <https://t.co/13Dhy7LaDz>
>> 
>> — A Crow On Every Page (@CrowGirl42) [November 18, 2016](https://twitter.com/CrowGirl42/status/799619115505680385)  
> 
> 
> [This is the definition of plangent/plangency I was working from.](http://www.thefreedictionary.com/plangency)
> 
> And I stand by my previous statement that this pairing tag is the wrong bloody way 'round. I only stuck with it this way because I wanted it to be properly sortable/findable.


End file.
